Orange You Glad To See Me Red

Orangey-Reds are just everywhere.
Every store I visit this season has an orange or a red> or an orangey red something.
Is Orangey even a word? Forgive me - if its not - but I needed it to be a word today.

Here are the latest orangey's or red's I've worn on the show lately.

First -
I died with happiness when BP <Boston Proper> gave birth to this sweater and gave me their baby.

 It looks orangey red in the photo below but its more of a true red like above

 

Sequin cowl-neck sweater HERE // Antique Chandelier Earrings: HERE 

 

Cache -- Dress HERE //

Boston Proper Dress > the "Orangey Red" below is more true to color.

BP Slim and Shape Turtleneck Dress: HERE // Cut Stone Necklace: HERE //
Steve Madden Shoes: SOLD OUT similar HERE

P.S. It's Family & Friends time at Boston Proper

USE CODE : 19924 

&

$50 OFF ALL REGULAR PRICE DRESSES at cache.

Use promo code: G873103

Happy Tuesday,

Alex

<My Co - Host and I today on the show >

Monday Must-Haves

<Hot Pink Scarves>

Every once in awhile you walk into a store and an item stops you in your tracks -- that happened to me last week at The Limited when I saw this Hot Pink Scarf. Literally halted in my tracks.
So hard to find a great pink scarf!

The sad part: As of right now The Limited isn't selling this beauty online 

but... below it is a fab Tory Burch one I discovered. 

Or a less expensive Target option here >  Or a polka dot pink option here >

                       

     

<shoes - Ann Taylor leopard heels>

<michael kors watch>

<Coat - H & M>

<leather leggings> 

Yes, you need them.

The best pair - at an affordable price - that I've tried on are at Ann Taylor here.

Tons of other options here

<Sephora Favorites>

Buy a perfume sampler for $24 bucks and get a FREE rollerball certificate inside

 that you can redeem in store whenever you want.

Pretty much a no brainer and a sick deal. Basically instead of buying a rollerball perfume like my fav Viktor & Rolf perfume <which is usually 30 bucks>...you spend $24, get 5 little samplers, and a full size Rollerball of your choice. Um ya. Do it.

<Target Boots for 39 bucks>

check please!

These babies are at Target now and are probably

 the best looking faux leather boot I've ever seen at Target. Yes, I bought a pair. And I love them.

<Finally, this coat from H&M rocks my socks.>

I am wearing it in the top pick - comfy and has a very pretty expensive look to it. 

Find it here - it's selling out in a lot of sizes. They seem to sell out and then pop back up again.

 So definitely check back if you're size is SOLD OUT.

Runs true to size - so I would go up a size if you plan to layer for Winter ;) 

Other blush coat options here.

What are you loving this week? 

Something Black, Something Blue

Cache Cache Cache - all day. 

I cant say enough about the dresses at Cache.

Game - changers. Always flattering fits. 

Big thanks to them for dressing me on the show on the regular and always making me look ten different kinds of fab.

I wore this beauty on the show this week.

                            
Chain Trim Dress available at Cache // Heels: Michael Kors - sold out. Similar HERE

Lipstick: I mixed two NYX lipsticks together to get this color: - sweet pink & aria

                              

            

And... another LBD.

As Cache would say: 
"The LBD is all-season sexy. One’s not enough... and it might be impossible to have too many."

                             

   

Black Long Sleeve Beaded Dress: Cache //
Steve Madden Stud Pumps
SOLD OUT but Several available on Ebay HERE

<disclaimer this photo below was touched up with the oh so fun APP -- "Perfect 365" 

I only wish I had eyelashes that amazing and no bags under my eyes <a girl can dream right?>.

Not to worry - you can have no bags to.

 If you don't have it - download it. You'll thank me later. ;)

                                          

<pic above>

Makeup: NYX Prague Lipstick

Foundation: Makeup Forever #155

Eyelashes: Sephora - Celebrity

Eyeliner: NARS - Via Venetto

Highlighter: MAC prep & prime Light Boost

Bronzer/outer lining: MAC studio Fix NW 45/ Bobbi Brown Almond Foundation Stick

Mascara: They're Real Benefit Cosmetics

Blush: MAC Coppertone

Dressing room photo fun and silly faces, because when I'm bored after the show this is what we do.

We as in Me. 

                   

Happy Shopping. 

Xo,

Alex

Explore Asheville

Have you been to Asheville??

Last week, I took a trip with the "My Carolina Today" team to explore Asheville, North Carolina.

It was a work trip for some feature segments were doing on the city and my gosh is it GORGEOUS. 

If you've never been - it's so worth the trip. 

Mountains, beautiful trees, historic buildings...the list goes on.

We got there right at the start of "fall color change... "

<at least that's what I call it - you know when the trees start turning pretty colors>

 

 

Being a Florida girl - I have really never seen anything like this. I grew up around palm trees so my version of winter was adding fake icicles to buildings - haha! So, I'm seeing FALL in FULL EFFECT like never before. 

Maybe its silly but I LOVE IT.

For the first part of our shoot - we visited the River Arts District and watched live demonstrations by several artists -- painting, sculpting, blowing glass. It's such an artistic & creative city. So glad I left my credit card in the car or I would have been buying stuff left and right.




Every street was literally breathtaking.
So much history.



THEN AN AMAZING STOP @ Asheville TreeTops Adventure Park AKA Zip Lining!
Now I'm not gonna lie - I was genuinely terrified at first but it turned out all ok. More pictures and video to come at a later post. <thats me and my co host Valonda>

                  

For dinner - we ate at an amazing local spot called HomeGrown - AND WOW.

The food was IN-CRED-IBLE. So good. Their motto "Slow food - right quick"
I ordered Buttermilk chicken, an arugula salad, and a side of mac n cheese.

It was so good I forgot to take a pic of the whole meal but the MACnCheese was redonkulous.
<as in AMAZing> Quite possibly the best mac n cheese I've ever had in my life - EVER.



               Tried to get a quick selfie in with the trees but the sun was shining SO BRIGHT!! LOL
   

Then we went on a Wellness Tour...
It started with spending some time meditating in a Salt Cave. Now that was cool.
It was really a very different experience and its crazy how the salt can literally calm you.  The minute I walked into the room I felt so relaxed. It was as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

I really can't completely explain it in words but it was a very soothing feeling. I was sore from Zip lining earlier so I put some of the salt crystals on my muscles and it honestly felt better after. Who knew? Have you ever been to a salt cave?



I finished up my tour of Asheville with a foot soak like none other at Wake Foot Sanctuary. It was pretty phenomenal. My foot soak included: <Green tea, lemongrass, & avocado oil -all together for an energizing yet nourishing soak. > Breathe deep – :) It was a warm and relaxing 45 minute experience.



While you soak they wrap a hot towel around your neck and serve you hot tea. It felt very royal - ha! If that's what royalty feels like.. sign me up FOR LIFE.

   

I was sad to leave the pretty city but it was a quick work trip to show people in Raleigh the beauty of Asheville. We are putting together a segment on all the amazing fun you can get into by visiting Asheville -- its set to air later this month on NBC.

It's a four hour drive away from Raleigh but I discovered a beautiful place in the mountains I plan to return to soon. XOXO

Happy Sunday,
Alex

PS. #Explore 


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bar Obsession

"Step away from the pumpkin bar, Alex - step away." 

I literally have to say this to myself out loud because I can't stop eating them.

Nothing makes me more excited than getting dressed up for Halloween..besides the candy part. But this year I opted for pumpkin suga'... instead. Before I headed out for Halloween festivities -- I made these unstoppable super-cali-fragilistic:

Pumpkin Bars from Trader Joe's <with chocolate chips in them>. 

Trust me = You want them in your life.

I mean they are so good people sell them on EBAY WHEN THEY ARE SOLD OUT in stores.  
Yes, I said ebay - EXAMPLE HERE. 

Maybe I am late to the pumpkin game but I just discovered these this year and WOW-- I've been missing out -- because they are bomb dot com.

They are so SUPER easy to make. 

Preheat oven to 350 and 8 x 8 x 2 baking pan - fill the bottom with parchment paper and lightly greased with cooking spray. 

Whisk two large eggs and one stick of melted butter together 

add full bag of mix 

blend until soft dough forms spread into pan corners and level top. 

And bake for 25 to 26 minutes. BOOM. Done.

                              VOILA... happiness in a square. yum. yum in the tum tum.

So if your swinging through Trader Joe's grab a box or 2
 <they're seasonal so they'll be gone fast>

                  

I absolutely. positively.  completely.  LOVE THIS HOLIDAY.
Especially the dressing up part.

My costume was provided by Hughie and Louie's Costumes in North Raleigh and I am genuinely obsessed with it. 

Fun fact: my parents were married on Halloween! That probably explains all the crazy in my house and I mean that in the best way! HA! 

Say hello to the Queen of Hearts! 

                   

                                   

 Photos with friends in the news room 

                              

                          

Happy Halloween! And Trust me YOU WANT A PUMPKIN BAR. Make em. xo

Alex